Dooky Chase’s Restaurant is located in New Orleans’s Tremé neighborhood.
Tremé is one of the oldest African American neighborhoods in the United States and has long been associated with Black music, social organizations, festivals, and food traditions. Dooky Chase’s became one of its best-known institutions after opening in 1941.
The restaurant’s later fame grew under Leah Chase, whose Creole cooking attracted visitors and public figures. Its dining room also served as a gathering place during the civil rights movement, giving the restaurant importance beyond its menu.
Tremé is sometimes confused with the French Quarter because both are central New Orleans destinations. They are distinct neighborhoods, and Dooky Chase’s is in Tremé rather than the French Quarter or Garden District.